Heat pump might be the little machine that could save a lot of energy, but there are many obstacles; then there's Maine

A heat pump installation (Photo from DanFoss.com)

A heat pump is a simple machine with the potential to move America away from fossil fuels, Joan Fitzgerald writes for The American Prospect, a progressive public policy publication: "Electrification of buildings is a key climate strategy because space heating, cooling, and water heating comprise 46 percent of residential and commercial building emissions and more than 40 percent of the primary energy used. In addition, getting fossil fuels out of buildings has health and equity benefits."

The contraption is simple: "Heat pumps take heat from outside and move it into your home in the winter and take heat from inside in hot weather and move it outside. Some systems use ducts like hot-air furnaces and some are ductless," Fitzgerald reports. "Heat pumps offer considerable energy savings because the quantity of heat and cooling brought into your home is considerably greater than the quantity of electricity used to power the system. . . . every heat pump installed saves consumers $300 to $600 in heating costs annually."

The simplicity stops there. Installing heat pumps on a national level is more like MacGyvering green spaces than providing a tidy solution. According to Fitzgerald, here's why:

Regulatory and permit headaches: Local regulations and the permitting process are often confusing and difficult to navigate for both installers and customers. Heat pumps can violate local noise ordinances, particularly in towns with small lots. If the heat pump makes noise beyond the legal level, the contractor usually is responsible for rectifying it.

Confusing rebate processes: The requirements of rebate and subsidy programs are often confusing and contradictory to state climate goals. Some rebates require that homes be weatherized first—an expensive undertaking even with rebates.

Supply chain delays: It is not uncommon for the ideal unit for a particular home to be unavailable. The computer-chip shortage is partly responsible for limiting production, but there is almost no manufacturing of heat pumps in the U.S. Most are made by Japanese or German producers. The Department of Energy investment of $250 million to promote domestic heat pump manufacturing is much needed, Fitzgerald writes.

Inadequate workforce in skills and number: In many states, there are not enough contractors with the skills to install heat pumps. At the federal level, the DOE is exploring additional investment in workforce development for heat pump manufacturing and installation.  

Fitzgerakld writes, "The national leader in promoting wide installation of heat pumps is Maine," the second most rural state. "With 62 percent of its households heated by highly polluting fuel oil in 2019, Maine officials knew that heat pumps would have to be a big part of reaching the state’s goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions 45 percent by 2030. The Efficiency Maine Trust, coordinates all the policy supports needed to ensure widespread heat pump adoption: offering information, advice, and rebate and loan programs. Most importantly, the Maine legislature has taken action to require utilities to do the grid improvement planning needed for a more electrified future."

Fitzgerald notes Maine is chipping away red tape by offering "easy-to-apply-for rebates. . . helping low- and moderate-income residents secure heat pumps . . taking action to ensure that the Maine utilities align pricing and planning for grid upgrades . . . acting to increase the supply of qualified installers."

As far as MacGyverisms, Maine has provided Swiss-army-knife rebate tactics and how to green duct-tape your grid as an example for other regions. Some other states are catching on "15 states and almost 100 cities and counties have policies to promote heat pump adoption," Fitzgerald reports. "Only four of them—California, Massachusetts, Maine, and New York—have set targets for the number of heat pumps to be installed."